Beer tap handle



Nov. 22, 1966 c. G. TATE, JR 3,286,385

BEER TAP HANDLE Filed Feb. 17, 1964 INVENTOR CHARLES G. TATE JR.

ATTORi Y United States Patent 3,286,385 BEER TAP HANDLE Charles G. Tate, Jr., 19 S. Locust Ave., North Providence, RI. Filed Feb. 17, 1964, Ser'. No. 345,336 4 Claims. (Cl. 40--126) My present invention relates to the display and advertising art, and more particularly to a novel construction of a beer tap handle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a beer tarp handle with an electrically operated display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beer tap handle with a movable display device that is electrically driven.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrically powered beer tap handle thatcan readily be converted from a rotating to an oscillating display device or to a stationery light.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beer tap handle that is simple in construction and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjuction with the accompanying drawings, and more fully described in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a beer tap handle embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed section of the switch construction;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the switch button;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 55 on FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing an alternative form of my invention.

Because of the competition involved, most beer companies provide bars with fancy tap handles carrying the name of the particular brew. These handles are changed frequently to attract attention and are made in all materials in numerous shapes and sizes. The present invention provides a beer tap handle which is electrically powered to provide movement or light to attract attention to its advertising. The construction is compact, inexpensive, and designed to fit into the confines of the tap handle.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the beer tap handle of the present invention comprises a housing 10 preferably made of plastic material. The housing 10 is illustrated as rectangular in shape. However, it is obvious that it can be round or any other desired shape. The lower end of the housing 10 is provided with an integral shank 11 which has a threaded opening 12 for mounting the handle on the beer tap lever 13.

The housing 10 is provided with a recess 14 extending inwardly to the center from the front of the housing as shown in FIG. 2. The upper portion of the recess is narrower than the lower portion and is designed to receive a motor 15. The upper end of the motor 15 is provided with a shank 16 extending through an opening in the housing. A rotatable shaft 17 extend from the shank 16. An advertising legend or symbol may be applied to a member 18 which is frictionally mounted on the shaft 17 and rotatable therewith. A protective frame 19 is mounted in the housing 10 and extends around the rotatable member 18. The frame 19 forms a manually enga-geable handle for operating the tap lever. If desired, a :clear plastic bubble may be used to completely enclose the rotatable member 18.

Beneath the motor 15, the recess 14 widens to receive a pair of horizontally disposed batteries 20 and 21 in con- 3,286,385 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 tiguous relation with their ends disposed in series in opposite directions. I now provide a U-shaped cover member 22 having side arms terminating in angular .portions 23 which snap into notches in the housing to hold the cover in place. The cover 22 is provided with an integral extending portion 24 which extends into the recess 14 and abuts the motor 15 and batteries 20 and 21 to hold them in place.

Electrical connections are provided by conductive strips of metal molded into theplastic housing .10. A strip 25 contacts one side of the motor and the left end of the upper battery 20. A strip 26 contacts the right end of the lower battery 21 and'a strip 27 contacts the right side of the motor 15. The circuit is thus controlled by a sliding switch such as shown in FIGS, 3, 4 and 5. The housing 10 is provided with'an undercut groove 28. The ends of the strips 26 and 27 terminate in spaced relation in the groove 28. A sliding button 29 is mounted in the groove 28 and has a conductive strip 30 at its bottom slidable over the ends of the strips 26 and 27. In the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the strip 30 contacts both ends 26 and 27 and closes the circuit. If the button 29 be moved upwardly until the detent 31 enters the recess 32, the circuit is cut otf.

With the current on, the motor 15 rotates the advertisinig member 18. The batteries last approximately 6 months before replacement is needed. The rotation is about 4 to 6 rpm. If desired, an oscillating motor may be provided, oscillating at about 10 per minute. In addition to a button, a small light may also be mounted in the housing 10. For longer life, the motor 15 may be a conventional AC, v. motor. In such case, the bat teries 20 and 21 are replaced by an electrical cord lead wire to a wall socket.

In the form shown in FIG. 6, the housing 10, recess 14, cover 22, and batteries 20 and 21 are the same as in FIG. 1. However, the motor 15 is now replaced by a socket member 33 carrying a bulb 34. The advertising comprises a member 35 made of milk plastic which glows with the light and exposes any insignia or advertising embedded in it. It is provided with a shank 36 at the bottom end which enters the housing above the bulb 34. The bulb 34 may provide a steady light, or the socket member 33 may be designed to flash or wink the light at a predetermined rate.

By making the socket member 33 of the same size and shape as the motor 15, the parts can be readily intercharged and the advertising message and device can be regularly altered without much cost. The device thus provides a beer tap handle with an electrically powered advertising device of simple construction and operation. Rotation or oscillation and lighting may be provided interchangeably or in any desired combination.

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily aparent to a person skilled in the art.

-I claim:

1. A beer tap handle comprising a plastic housing having a threaded shank for mounting on a beer tap lever, a hand operated protective frame mounted above said housing for operating said lever, said housing having a recess, a source of electrical power in said recess, and an advertising member mounted above said housing and within said frame, said advertising member being activated by the electrical power in said recess, said electrical power including a rotating motor driven by dry cell bat-teries, said motor rotating said advertising member.

2. A beer tap handle comprising a plastic housing having a threaded shank for mounting on a beer tarp lever, a hand operated protective frame mounted above said housing for operating said lever, said housing having a recess, a source of electrical power in said recess, a cover for said housing having an integral portion extending into said recess to hold said source of electrical power, and an advertising member mounted above said housing and withinsaid frame, said advertising member being activated by said electrical power in said recess, said electrical power including a rotating motor driven by dry cell batteries, said motor rotating said advertising member.

3. A beer tap handle comprising a plastic housing hav ing a threaded shank for mounting on a beer tap lever, a hand operated protective frame mounted above said housing for operating said lever, said housing having a recess, a source of electrical power in said recess, and an advertising member mounted above said housing and within said frame, said advertising member being activated by the electrical power in said recess, said electrical power including an oscillating inotor driven by dry cell batteries, said motor oscillating said advertising member.

4. A beer taphandle comprising a plastic housing having a threaded shank for mounting on a'beer tap lever, a'

handoperated protective frame mounted above said housl ing for operating said lever, said housing having a recess, a source of electrical power in said recess, a cover for said, housing having an integral portion extending into said recess to hold said source of electrical power, and an References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,101 11/1911 Weaner 40126 1,225,865 /1917 Schneible 40-130 2,177,337 /1939 Stein 40130 X 2,208,297 7/1940 Lipp 4077 2,414,446 1/1947 Carbone 40332 2,631,393 3/1953 Hetherington 40130 15 2,726,320 12/1955 Damiano 40126 X 3,031,784 5/1962 Stein 4033 X 3,086,307 7 4/1963 Greene 40---77 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 45,221 T 6/1956 Italy.

EUGENE'R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner.

advertising member mounted above said housing and HERBERT FQROSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BEER TAP HANDLE COMPRISING A PLASTIC HOUSING HAVING A THREADED SHANK FOR MOUNTING ON A BEER TAP LEVER, A HAND OPERATED PROTECTIVE FRAME MOUNTED ABOVE SAID HOUSING FOR OPERATING SAID LEVER, SAID HOUSING HAVING A RECESS, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID RECESS, AND AN ADVERTISING MEMBER MOUNTED ABOVE SAID HOUSING AND WITHIN SAID FRAME, SAID ADVERTISING MEMBER BEING ACTIVATED BY THE ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID RECESS, SAID ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING A ROTATING MOTOR DRIVEN BY DRY CELL BATTERIES, SAID MOTOR ROTATING SAID ADVERTISING MEMBER. 